Brewers Rumors: Brewers will have to battle Cardinals in trade talks for this pitcher

The MLB Trade Deadline is just days away and the Milwaukee Brewers are seeking starting pitching help. It just so happens that the team chasing the Crew in the NL Central, the St. Louis Cardinals, are also seeking starting pitching help.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the two bitter rivals are chasing the same pitcher to help out their rotation: Erick Fedde of the Chicago White Sox.

It's no surprise that the two teams are interested in Fedde, given how he's performed this year. Through 20 starts, he has a 2.98 ERA in 117.2 IP.

Brewers and Cardinals are pursuing Erick Fedde

Erick Fedde is scheduled to start on Saturday night. It doesn't sound as if a deal is close at the moment. If it were to get close, we'd see Fedde scratched from his outing. If he takes the mound, then a deal isn't going to take place until after his start.

Fedde is under contract for 2025 as well at a reasonable $7.5MM salary. Controllable starting pitching is always in high demand, especially at the trade deadline. It also boosts his asking price from the White Sox.

There's a clear and obvious fit between the Brewers and Fedde. Because of his performance and his contract, as well as the Brewers need for pitching, it makes sense that Milwaukee is hard charging after Fedde. What could motivate the Brewers to pull the trigger on a deal is getting Fedde to make sure the Cardinals don't. The last thing the Brewers want to see in their rearview mirror is the Cardinals making a charge by getting the player the Brewers also wanted.

It's also important to note how Rosenthal phrased his report on the two NL Central teams. One team was clearly the Milwaukee Brewers that was pursuing Fedde. Then the other team is "believed to be the Cardinals". There's a chance it could be another team in the division, like the Pirates, who are one game behind St. Louis. It could also be the Reds or Cubs. The Cubs just got Nate Pearson from Toronto despite declaring themselves sellers. Perhaps their view of Fedde's extra year of control makes him a worthwhile target in their eyes.

In all likelihood, it's the Brewers and Cardinals in this race for Fedde. There are several other teams who are likely to be involved in Fedde's market as well.